Kargil panel terms set out

4 August 1999The Hindu

NEW DELHI: The four member committee, headed by Mr. K. Subrahmanyam, will review the events leading to the Pakistani aggression in Kargil and recommend measures to safeguard national security against such armed intrusions.

According to an official statement, the committee has started functioning since July 29. Besides interacting with the armed forces and other governmental agencies and departments concerned, it has invited inputs from the public based on reliable and authentic information. Such inputs can be sent in writing to the Officer on Special Duty (P), the National Security Council Secretariat, Third Floor, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi.

PTI adds: The release said since the committee was to submit its report to the Government by October 31, all such inputs should be furnished as early as possible and positively by September 15.

Besides Subrahmanyam, other members of the committee are LT. Gen. (Retd.) K. K. Hazari, Mr. B. G. Verghese, journalist, and the National Security Council Secretary, Mr, Satish Chandra, as its member secretary. While setting it up, the Government had said the committee would have a "comprehensive review" of events that led to the Pakistani aggression.

The decision was taken at a specially convened meeting of the Union Cabinet, following Opposition demand for a thorough probe into the Pakistani intrusion alleging there had been Intelligence failure.

The decision was taken after the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, disclosed that the Army had ordered an internal inquiry into what went "wrong" which led to the incursions. Announcing the institution of the committee, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan, had then said that the terms of reference of the committee were wide enough and it was free to go into "anything and everything that may be political, administrative or military failures."